Denali National Park and Preserve

Spectacular mountain vistas, glaciers, sub-arctic tundra,
abundant wildlife and Mt. McKinley - this is Denali National
Park located about 240 miles north of Anchorage, 5 ½
hours by road or 8 hours by train.

Denali National Park and Preserve attracts millions of
visitors each year and it consists of more than six million
acres with wildlife such as caribou, grizzly bears, moose,
sheep, wolves and many different species of birds. Today
the park accommodates a wide variety of visitor use
including wildlife viewing, mountaineering, and
backpacking.

The most popular attraction in Denali National Park is
North America’s highest mountain, Mt. McKinley.  The
mountain towers over 20,300 feet tall above the peaks of
the Alaska Range. On a clear day its twin peaks can be
seen from Anchorage, 149 miles away. The Alaska Range
divides the park into north and south sides with most of
the visitors accessing the park on the north side.
Mountaineers who come to climb Mt McKinley need to
access the park from the south side. All climbers
attempting Mt. McKinley or Mt. Foraker must register with
Denali National Park & Preserve and pay a special use
fee of $200.00 per climber plus park entrance fee
($10.00 per person or $20.00 per family).

There are many activities to keep you busy when you visit
Denali National Park. Before you begin exploring Denali,
take some time to learn about the area. Summer is the
most popular time to visit Denali but winter also offers
many recreation and sightseeing opportunities. Some of
the summer activities include hiking, backpacking, cycling,
camping, fishing, nature walks, mountaineering, ranger
programs and photography.  Winter activities include
cross-country skiing, dog mushing, snowshoeing,
photography, snowmobiling and local activities. To avoid
the
crowds, visit Denali during early June or late September.

Getting To Denali National Park
Air travel to either Anchorage or Fairbanks and then
car/shuttle/train to Denali. Anchorage is 240 miles to the
south and Fairbanks is 125 miles to the north of the park.
Denali Park's headquarters are located along Alaska
Route 3, the George Parks Highway, approximately 240
miles north of Anchorage, AK, 125 miles south of
Fairbanks, AK, and 12 miles south of Healy, AK. Denali
Park's mountaineering headquarters is located in
Talkeetna, AK, approximately 100 miles north of
Anchorage, AK. Denali is accessible by car or via the
Alaska Railroad from either Anchorage or Fairbanks. In
summer a variety of private bus and van services
and the railroad operate daily from Anchorage and
Fairbanks. The park is open year round, but the road into
Denali Park and most visitor facilities are only open from
mid-May through the third week in September.

Denali Park Lodging
The Denali Park area offers a wide selection of hotels,
lodges and cabin properties just outside the Park
entrance, as well as several wilderness lodges deep
inside Denali Park.

Lodging Choices include the following:
Denali Bluffs Hotel - one of the newest hotels in the
area and also closest to the Park entrance. With just over
a hundred rooms, the Denali Bluffs Hotel is large enough
to have all the amenities you would expect. At the same
time it is small enough so you will not get lost in the
crowds of tour groups.

Denali Cabins – Located about seven miles south of the
Denali Park entrance is another great choice. Make sure
to plan a minimum of two consecutive nights in the Denali
Park area.

Denali Backcountry Lodge - For those who wish to
travel deep in the park.

CAMPING IN DENALI
Camping in Denali National Park and Preserve - Denali
National Park and Preserve has seven campgrounds with
a total of 291 sites. The campgrounds are Igloo Creek,
Morino Backpacker, Riley Creek, Sanctuary River, Savage
River, Teklanika River and Wonder Lake. You may camp
a total of 14 days in Park Service
campgrounds.

Make reservations in advance. 100% of the campsites at
Riley Creek, Savage, Teklanika and Wonder Lake may be
reserved in advance by phone and fax or mail-in.
Reservations can be made by calling: 1-800-622-7275
from anywhere in the United States or: 272-7275 locally,
in Anchorage, or: 907-272-7275 outside the United
States. Please note that advanced reservations for
campgrounds often sell out. When sites available for
advanced reservation are sold out, sites may still be
available by walk-in at the Visitor Center.

Bear Safety Precautions - Denali National Park and
Preserve is home to both black and grizzly bears. Black
bears inhabit the forested areas of the park and are rarely
encountered. Grizzly bears live mainly on the open tundra.
Most bears seen by visitors along the park road are
grizzlies, or brown bears. If annoyed bears can be
very dangerous. For your own protection, please carefully
read and abide by the rules. Avoid surprising bears and
never intentionally approach a bear.

DENALI NATIONAL PARK WEATHER
Summers are generally cool and damp with average high
temperatures in the mid-60s. Winters are extremely cold
with temperatures falling to -40F and below. Layers of
clothing, including good rain gear and hiking boots are
recommended for summer. Specialized cold-weather gear
is necessary for mountaineering and winter visits.
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